


The Cherry Tree

by Deanne Gabriel (youtomyme)



Series: The Cherry Tree [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fae & Fairies, M/M, Modern Universe, Original Fantasy, Original Universe, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 08:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5918242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youtomyme/pseuds/Deanne%20Gabriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jamie takes a bite of fairy fruit and enslaves himself to a fairy. This changes his life, for better <i>and</i> for worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Cherry Tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aliencupcake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aliencupcake/gifts).



It wasn’t that Jamie was in the habit of scrumping – at least, not since his boyhood. It was just that his uncle owned a big estate, and was it _really_ scrumping if it was from his own uncle’s gardens? He lived in the house _with_ his uncle, after all. Alright, so the gardener didn’t like people picking their own fruits, and insisted that the residents of the house ask him for produce if they wanted it, but Jamie had always suspected that this was so the gardener could have all the best fruits to himself. 

Besides, it was a hot July day, and Jamie was tired of studying indoors. The head gardener was having his day off so he couldn’t have asked him to pick the cherries he so craved that day anyway. So what was the harm in personally going up to a tree almost groaning from the weight of so many beautifully maroon cherries and picking a few that no one would miss?

‘Oh, for the love of the sun!’ a voice cried out as soon as Jamie had popped a cherry into his mouth and he almost choked. ‘Can’t a fairy find a place to sit still in _peace_?’

The branches of the cherry tree rustled in a way that would have been very menacing if they had been in a forest, perhaps darkened by the setting sun as the day approached twilight. Since it was high noon during summer, it just sounded like a tree startled by a small child trying to climb it. In the space of time it took Jamie to blink, the tree had disappeared and a slender winged figure with deep red hair and blazing green eyes stood in its place.

‘What do you have to say for yourself?!’ the fairy demanded, placing elegant, long-fingered hands on his hips and thrusting his face forward at Jamie with an expression of deep annoyance.

‘I – I’m sorry,’ Jamie spluttered, the other cherries flying out of his hand as he reeled backwards in shock. He felt like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ‘I didn’t – didn’t know you were – er – I’m really sorry –’

‘I should very well hope you are. What do I want with a thin, stringy little boy like you as a servant?’

This struck Jamie as being very unkind. He might be struggling with being a young man of 21, but he definitely wasn’t a ‘boy’, and the fairy looked as if he was pretty much the same age as he was.

‘If you didn’t want me a servant, then what are you doing standing here where I could take your fruit?’ Jamie said, managing a pretty good defiant tone despite the fact that he felt as nervous as if he was walking on a tightrope over a fifty-foot drop. ‘Only my uncle and I live here.’

‘I don’t want _anyone_ as a servant,’ the fairy snapped. ‘Or if it was going to be anybody, I would have preferred that pretty maid who’s always scurrying around the place.’

‘Maybe we can do a trade...?’ Jamie offered. He thought Mary Smith would probably be quite glad to be dragged away since she was always moaning about her job.

‘It doesn’t work like that,’ the fairy said flatly, and Jamie deflated.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbled again, though the irony of _apologising_ for taking a bite of fairy fruit, its very purpose being to lure people into slavery under fairies, was beginning to hit him pretty hard. Who did this fairy think he was anyway, trespassing on people’s gardens?

The fairy sighed long-sufferingly and ran a hand through handsome locks that were almost the same colour as his cherries. 

‘Never mind,’ the fairy said. ‘I can see you don’t want to be my servant, and I don’t want you anyway. How about I let you stay here and I’ll just call on you whenever you need me?’

‘How about you never need me at all?’ Jamie said, and the fairy grinned.

‘Nah. Now that I think about it, you might be useful. Besides, it’s just not traditional.’ He tossed his head and said, ‘Alright, what’s your name then?’

‘James Fairbairn, but everyone calls me Jamie.’ Feeling rather better at the prospect of not being permanently dragged to the Fae Realm, he said, ‘And yours?’

‘It’s Cerasus. Nice to meet you, Jamie.’ Cerasus extended a hand, and Jamie shook it somewhat apprehensively. 

Cerasus’ hand was as small and thin as a girl’s. Indeed, now that he was no longer overwhelmed by fear, Jamie was at liberty to observe that Cerasus was built like a girl with skin almost as thin as muslin stretched over bones like china, his figure elegant and slim. His face gave the impression of being light and delicate without being particularly feminine, except for the beautiful large, dark green eyes. His butterfly wings were, yes, the colours of cherries, joined at the centre of his back, and looked too frail to carry anything or anyone.

Feeling increasingly daring and more taken by curiosity, Jamie said, ‘Come in for a cup of tea if you’d like to be a guest?’ 

‘Why don’t _you_ come and have ... a drink with _me_?’ Cerasus said. At Jamie’s hesitation, he added, ‘It’ll be perfectly fine. We have promised to be friends. I won’t let any harm come to you. Besides, I don’t like ... tea ...’

‘Alright,’ Jamie said, though somewhat doubtfully. There were some awful stories about the Fae Realm, but before he could dwell on them for any length of time, Cerasus had laid a hand on his arm and whisked him away in a flurry of wings.

The flight – if it had been a flight; Jamie could only call it that because he had seen Cerasus’ wings move – lasted only a few seconds, and the ground soon solidified underneath Jamie again. But he remained still with his eyes tightly shut, because his head was spinning so fast, he felt as if it was going to fall off his shoulders.

‘Humans,’ he heard Cerasus mutter with distaste. ‘And they call _us_ delicate.’

A hot cup was pushed into Jamie’s hands, and when he didn’t make any move to drink it, it was shoved into his face, almost spilling the contents over his nose and mouth.

‘Drink,’ Cerasus commanded. 

Without consciously agreeing to it, Jamie felt his hands move and his mouth open as if he regularly took orders from attractive young fairies. He drank, thinking about what a dismal life it must be, bound to a fairy, and then forgot everything in the warmth and strength that seemed to flow from the cup and straight into his veins. He opened his eyes.

‘Good, isn’t it?’ Cerasus was standing in front of him. ‘Much better than ... tea. Sit down.’

Again, Jamie felt his body move of its own accord and seat itself in an armchair. He didn’t do it quite well, however, and ended up in a rather awkward position.

‘What’s wrong with tea?’ he asked, shifting to make himself comfortable as soon as he had regained control of his own limbs.

‘What?’ said Cerasus distractedly. He had wandered off to a wall that was all square drawers, rummaging through a drawer that was near the ceiling, his wings beating quickly to keep him up there. 

Now feeling well enough to take in the sights, Jamie took a moment to look around the room. It seemed to be a normal sitting room, except that there were shelves and ledges for decorations nailed up high on the wall. Some of the shelves were so high and so thin, Jamie couldn’t even glimpse its surface. At least the chairs and tables were at normal height.

‘What’s wrong with tea?’ he repeated when he was satisfied with his observations. ‘You keep mentioning it like it’s some horrible drug.’ 

‘It _is_ horrible. You’d be hard pressed to find a fairy who likes bitter things like tea.’

‘There’s such thing as sweet tea.’

‘At which point it usually doesn’t taste like anything except sugar.’

Jamie gave up and took another sip of the wonderful liquid. It had a consistency that was almost honey without getting stuck in his mouth or throat. 

‘What is this, anyway?’ he asked.

Having found what he was looking for, Cerasus gently drifted down into a chair. He sat with his wings spread out on either side of him, displaying their full range of deep, rich colours. 

‘We call it flower milk, but it’s not really milk. It’s just a mix of flowers and herbs and fruits.’ Cerasus had a white drawstring pouch with cherries embroidered on it in his hands, out of which he extracted what looked like yarn of varying shades of red. ‘It’s a restorative, like what tea _should_ be.’

‘Anyway,’ Jamie said, seeing that the subject of tea was really not a topic it would be wise to dwell upon with Cerasus, ‘tell me about what’s supposed to happen between us.’

‘I thought you didn’t want to be my servant,’ Cerasus said as he began weaving yarn around his fingers. His fingers were so thin and nimble, it looked like he could almost knit without needles.

‘I don’t, but I can see I won’t have a say in it if you want me.’

Cerasus smiled without looking up. ‘We can just be friends. Only thing is that you’ll have to come and be my friend whenever I want you to, even if _you_ don’t want to.’

‘Okay.’ Jamie drained his cup and put it down on the low table, feigning nonchalance. It didn’t sound too bad. He had been well accustomed to peer pressure as a teenager, having never minded the stuff. ‘So you’re not going to make me iron your clothes or make you meals?’

This time, Cerasus shone the full force of his mocking grin onto Jamie. ‘Thanks, but my dad has a servant who does all those things for me. You won’t have to worry.’

‘Is – is your dad’s servant a human?’

‘Of course. Fairies wouldn’t dream of working for one another. Don’t you know _anything_ about fairies?’

‘No. How can we?’ Jamie snapped. ‘As soon as anyone gets near a fairy, they get tricked into becoming a personal slave! The humans can’t very well tell us anything about you if they’re too busy scrubbing floors.’

‘Careful, Jamie.’ Those green eyes flashed dangerously. ‘I could change my mind and _make_ you scrub floors.’

‘You mentioned it,’ Jamie mumbled, but he looked away. He felt that they had earlier reached a solid middle ground that he would be wise not to try to shift.

Silence reigned for a minute as Jamie tried to slow his rapidly beating heart and Cerasus bent over his yarn again. 

‘Who is that girl with the yellow hair and the black puppy who lives in the house next to yours?’ Cerasus said at length.

‘What?’ 

‘Don’t you know her? I see her all the time, and she’s the only girl I ever see. Not a gardener or something.’

‘Oh, you mean Princess.’ Jamie tried to discreetly scrutinise Cerasus out of the corner of his eye. Was he trying to be conciliatory? ‘I mean, Seraphine. I used to call her Princess when we were children because she used to be such a brat. I haven’t talked to her in years.’

‘So she lives there?’

‘Sort of. She’s in college, but it’s the holidays now.’

‘She’s lovely.’

Jamie swallowed the urge to correct him. ‘If she’s so lovely, why weren’t you standing in _her_ garden?’

‘I don’t want to make her my servant,’ Cerasus said reproachfully. ‘I want to talk to her.’

‘Then knock on her door, or her window, even.’

Cerasus continued to glare, and Jamie shrunk back.

‘I can’t do that. Don’t you have any sense of romance?’

‘No.’ He had heard the exact same thing from many of his past sweethearts, all of whom had reached the same conclusion.

‘That’s obvious,’ Cerasus snorted. ‘Come here.’

Though it wasn’t an order, as no impulse to obey electrified Jamie’s mind, he got up and walked around the table anyway. Cerasus picked up Jamie’s hand and tied the strings of yarn he had been working on around it. It had strange knots in it and was three different shades of red.

‘Thank you, but no thank you,’ Jamie said.

‘It’s not a gift,’ Cerasus said shortly, though he seemed to be cheering up from their row. ‘If I need you, this will tell you and bring you to me.’

‘I –‘ Jamie slumped a little, feeling dejected. It was clear that despite Cerasus’ insistence on the fact that he didn’t want a servant, Jamie was stuck in the position, and it was pointless to say anything to the contrary.

‘Don’t look so upset,’ Cerasus said, looking almost shocked. ‘Have some more flower milk.’

‘No, thank you.’

‘Oh alright then. Go home, you big grump.’ Cerasus stood up. A thought seemed to have occurred to him. ‘I say, do you think you could introduce me to Seraphine sometime?’

‘Yes,’ Jamie said entirely unfeelingly, and Cerasus frowned.

‘I’ll ask you again some other time. Go away.’ He put out a hand and pushed Jamie away. When Jamie had recovered his balance, his head was spinning in a way that was becoming uncomfortably familiar, and he was back in the grounds on his uncle’s estate.

-

Jamie told his uncle about his encounter with Cerasus. His uncle was a medical man whom everyone called Dr Stewart, even his own nephew. He didn’t have much interest in magic in particular, but was as interested in the neighbourhood’s everyday goings as an old woman, and that included Jamie’s personal affairs.

To Jamie’s relief, he wasn’t angry about Jamie’s carelessness leading him to become enslaved to a fairy.

‘At least he lets you go home,’ Dr Stewart said. ‘Quite a lot of those fairies aren’t so kind. I know a girl –‘ he stopped abruptly, checking himself. ‘Anyway, just be careful, won’t you? I’d hate to lose you. What would I say to your parents? And tell him he’s not to disturb you during lessons.’

As a matter of fact, it was only the next morning when Jamie was having breakfast by himself – Dr Stewart having rushed off earlier for an emergency – that Cerasus made an appearance by tapping on the dining room window.

‘You can’t let people in the village see you!’ Jamie hissed when he’d opened the window and Cerasus flown in in the most elegant tumble of wings and limbs. 

‘People here don’t like us?’ Cerasus said, fluttering into a chair and helping himself to a Belgian bun. ‘I’ve known places that considered it good luck to sight a fairy. Sometimes I fly through just to make them happy.’

‘There was an incident with a girl from the village here once,’ Jamie explained. He shut the window and sat down to resume his breakfast. ‘Most people here hate fairies.’

‘Who was she?’ Cerasus asked with interest. ‘I might know her.’

‘I don’t know. It happened before I came to live her and my uncle doesn’t like talking about it.’

‘Shame. Oh well. Nobody can do much to me if they see me anyway.’

‘Yes, but they can very well do something to me or my uncle.’

‘I see your point.’ Cerasus was wearing a very handsome green suit complemented by a fawn-coloured tie today. Despite its somewhat garish colour, it flattered his appearance well. ‘No point in wasting a good servant.’ Jamie bristled at this description of himself, but decided not to say anything. ‘So do you think you could set up a meeting between Seraphine and I sometime?’

‘Yes, but it’ll have to be this weekend. My uncle said you’re not to disturb me when I’m doing lessons. I have them every day except weekends from 9 until 4.’

‘Oh, I didn’t know I had to share you with your uncle,’ Cerasus laughed. ‘What are you learning?’

‘My uncle is teaching me medicine to take his place.’

‘Very useful in a servant,’ Cerasus said agreeably.

Jamie refrained from observing that Cerasus seemed quite keen on the idea of having a servant all of a sudden. Perhaps it was because he wanted to get to know Seraphine.

‘I suppose there’s no use in sticking around today then,’ Cerasus said, polishing off the buns, to Jamie’s annoyance. He had wanted one. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’

‘Are you going to stand in the garden watching Princess again?’ Jamie said suspiciously.

‘Well?’

‘You might accidentally enslave someone else.’

‘Bother.’ Cerasus absently took a sip of Jamie’s tea and his fine features contorted into such a funny, horrified face that it cheered Jamie up considerably, and he laughed. Perhaps that was what moved him to say, ‘My study overlooks the same side of the garden you were in yesterday. You can sit there for a while if you like, as long as you stay quiet.’

‘Oh, could I?’ Cerasus leapt out of his chair, grinning broadly. ‘Jamie, I dare say I’m beginning to like you.’

‘I don’t know if I like _you_ ,’ Jamie said, but Cerasus didn’t seem to be listening. He had found the mirror over the sideboard and was peering critically at his reflection as if he was going on a date instead of merely stalking the lady.

Unfortunately for Jamie, he began to regret his decision to invite Cerasus into his study room almost at once. Cerasus sat on the window sill, a pretty picture with the morning light streaming in, brightening the deep red of his hair and penetrating his wings to throw colours upon the opposite wall, but when nothing happened in the garden next door for five minutes, he turned to disturbing Jamie.

‘This place is so old-fashioned,’ he said to Jamie, who was already immersed in a thick volume. Cerasus raised his voice to continue, ‘I haven’t even seen a phone or a telly.’

‘Telly’s in the living room downstairs, my uncle and I have mobiles,’ Jamie said without looking up.

‘We can’t get mobiles to work in the Fae Realm. The magic keeps interrupting signals. But telephones with wires and cables work alright, so we have those.’

‘I see.’

‘Say, Jamie, do you think it’s strange for a fairy to fancy a human?’

‘No.’

‘Well, it isn’t. With all the human servants we have around, it’s inevitable some of them would fall in love with fairies.’

‘Right.’

‘Quite a lot of them like it in the Fae Realm.’

‘I wonder why.’

‘My mother was a hu– what do you _mean_ you wonder why?!’

At this moment, Seraphine came running out in jeans and a T-shirt, her dog close at her heels, and Cerasus thankfully lost interest in the conversation. 

Jamie had two hours of peace before Cerasus finally pulled away from the window with a wistful sigh and said, ‘How can you not think she’s wonderful? In this age when most people stay indoors on their computers and phones all the time, she’s always outside gardening and playing with her dog.’

It was a few seconds before Jamie could pull himself away from his notes long enough to realise who Cerasus was talking about.

‘She used to drag me into the garden and insist I play pretend as her head gardener. She’d make me cart dirt and seeds around to her satisfaction until I could find an excuse to go home.’

Jamie was annoyed at what he considered to be Cerasus’ disproportionate amusement. Cerasus leaned against the window and howled with laughter, in serious danger of falling out, and Jamie wished he would.

‘I’m glad to know you’ve had practice being a servant,’ Cerasus said, wiping his eyes on his lovely suit jacket. ‘It’s quite fitting that you call her Princess, Jamie. I’m –‘ 

There was a knock on the door, and Dr Stewart stepped in, still holding his medicine bag. ‘Good morning, Jamie. How’s the –‘ He stopped when he saw Cerasus, his eyes growing wide.

‘Good morning, sir,’ Jamie said quickly. ‘This is Cerasus. He just came in to try our view of the garden.’

‘Certainly. Of course,’ the doctor said absently, his eyes fixed on Cerasus’ wings. Then he blinked and recovered himself. ‘I apologise for my rudeness. How do you do?’ He extended his hand, and Cerasus shook it.

‘Very well, thank you,’ Cerasus said somewhat warily.

‘This is my uncle, Dr Stewart, Cerasus.’

‘Oh.’ Cerasus had the good grace to blush. ‘I’m sorry. I really wasn’t bothering Jamie.’

‘Very much,’ Jamie muttered underneath his breath. Cerasus shot him a look.

‘I should be going now,’ Cerasus said, pushing a hand through his hair. ‘I’ll see you on Saturday, Jamie. Do you mind if I leave through the window?’

Jamie got up and flung the window open wide and inviting.

‘Thank you for having me.’ Cerasus smiled at Dr Stewart, nodded at Jamie, and launched himself off the windowsill. 

‘Well!’ Dr Stewart said as Jamie was closing the window. ‘Your fairy, eh? Keen on gardens, is he?’

‘Keen on Princess, actually,’ Jamie said, resuming his seat.

‘Seraphine? And using his power over you to force you to help him form an acquaintance, as it were?’

‘I invited him here of my own accord. I can tell when he’s giving me a direct order.’

‘Is that so? And much happiness to you both, I hope.’

Despite the tease, Jamie thought he detected a somewhat strained note in Dr Stewart’s voice. He tactfully ignored the remark to ask him how his medical emergency had gone.

-

On Saturday, Jamie woke up to somebody sitting on top of him. At first he thought he was having sleep paralysis, and was about to go back to sleep when the apparition poked his side and said, ‘Wake _up_ ,’ and he jerked to consciousness.

‘How long do you intend to sleep in?’ Cerasus demanded, and Jamie groaned.

‘What time is it?’

‘Half past seven. High time you were up.’

‘Breakfast isn’t until nine today.’

There was a brief silence during which Jamie nearly fell asleep again, and then Cerasus said, ‘For everybody?’

‘Not for the cook, I guess.’

‘What about Seraphine?’

‘Oh.’ Jamie forced himself to crack open an eyelid. ‘It’s rude to intrude in on somebody’s breakfast. We should wait until eleven, at least.’

‘Eleven!’ Cerasus finally rolled off and took a spun around the room, huffing. ‘What am I supposed to do until then?’

‘Leave me alone,’ Jamie suggested.

‘No, no. Look, get dressed and I’ll call you in half an hour. You can meet my father.’

‘ _What_?’

‘It’s traditional to introduce human servants to the family,’ Cerasus said with a shrug. ‘I’ll give you breakfast.’

‘But –‘

The fairy had gone, not through the window as he had the last time he had been in the house, but in a beating of wings that made him disappear on the spot, as he had done with Jamie the first time they had met in the garden. Jamie sighed and forced himself out of bed. Cerasus was going to call on him whether he wanted him to or not, so he might as well meet him while dressed. 

About ten minutes later than he had promised, Cerasus summoned him. Jamie had been loitering around his room, feeling increasingly annoyed at the delay and wondering if he should go back to bed, when the bracelet on his wrist grew tight. He forgot it was there most of the time because it was only sufficiently close-fitting to not fall off at a careless gesture, but now it squeezed almost painfully. He tried to jerk at the material to loosen it, and the ground disappeared beneath his feet as soon as he touched it.

He fell into a table.

‘Hello. Beautiful carpentry, isn’t it?’ Cerasus said cheerfully.

Fortunately for both Jamie and the table, it was a small side table and there was nothing on its surface except for some books. He caught it before it fell over and righted everything before the dizziness of sudden teleportation overcame him.

‘Yes, I thought of that too,’ Cerasus said dispassionately as Jamie clutched his head and moaned pitifully. ‘Here.’

This time, Jamie accepted the flower milk and drank it gratefully.

‘There has to be a better way of doing that,’ he said when he had recovered. ‘You knocked on the window very politely earlier this week.’

‘Still had to open a portal somewhere though. I flew around the house looking in on the windows because I didn’t know where you were.’

‘I thought you always know where I am.’

‘Nope.’

‘What about this?’ Jamie gestured to the bracelet, which was now innocently slack on his arm.

‘It creates a portal for you whenever I summon you and you touch it with either hand. It doesn’t tell me where you are.’

‘So I could just ignore your summons and hide away if I wanted.’

‘ _Try_ it!’ 

Jamie shrugged in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner, but he didn’t have any intention of hiding from Cerasus really. What would be the point?

‘Ready then?’ Cerasus said. ‘Just put the cup on the table.’ He turned around and sailed through a door. Jamie scuttled after him, not bothering to check if he looked proper. Cerasus had _said_ he wouldn’t really be his servant after all.

After Cerasus had spent a couple of days popping in and out of windows, Jamie expected the room they entered to be airy, with sunlight pouring through wide, framed glass. But there weren’t any windows in the dining room they came into at all, though the room was somewhat stuffy, and the light, though illuminating, was dim, as if someone had drawn the curtains over the summer morning. Jamie couldn’t tell where the light was coming from, and now that he was thinking about it, realised there hadn’t been any windows in that sitting room Cerasus had first brought him to either.

There was a beautiful long table here, not as long as in old-fashioned movies, but much more splendid, with carvings and patterns picked out in paint on every surface that was visible between napkins and covered dishes. A man was sitting at the head of the table, with a good-looking woman sitting at his left. They both had the slender, porcelain look of fairies that Cerasus had, but neither had his deep red hair. Their hair was fair instead, though the man’s was darker and sandier, and they both had his green almond-shaped eyes. Their wings were similar shades of orange, the man’s deeper than the woman’s.

‘Morning, all,’ Cerasus said in his superior, off-hand way. Neither diner rose to it. They simply stopped eating and looked at him as he said, ‘I’ve just come to show – I mean, introduce my servant – er, friend, to Father.’

Jamie stared at Cerasus. He couldn’t help it. He was surprised to discover that all the remarks about Jamie being his servant had been teasing after all.

‘Servant or friend? Make up your mind.’ The frail-like appearance of Cerasus’ father belied his deep, heavy voice. It almost made Jamie jump in surprise.

‘Oh, friend, really. This is Jamie – er, Jamie –‘

‘James Fairbairn,’ Jamie provided, trying not to show his exasperation at Cerasus most _typically_ forgetting his name. ‘People call me Jamie.’

‘Well met, James Fairbairn.’ The older fairy nodded courteously at him. ‘I am Diospyros, and this is my sister Valencia.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ Jamie said. He was surprised to discover that the woman was not Cerasus’ mother. But he supposed Cerasus had to get his red hair from somewhere.

‘And you,’ Valencia said kindly.

‘I suppose if you are not a servant, you may dine with us,’ Diospyros said, gesturing to a chair. Jamie gulped. He would much rather not, but he didn’t dare say so. Cerasus shoved him into a chair.

‘I suppose you must have met the traditional way, if your confusion is any indication, Cerasus,’ Diospyros said, returning to his food.

‘I didn’t expect to get him,’ Cerasus said mournfully as he began picking up dishes and uncovering them to show to Jamie. ‘He was scrumping.’

Jamie was too preoccupied with shyly accepting buns to argue, and he probably wouldn’t have had the courage in front of Cerasus’ intimidating father anyway.

‘So you let him go,’ Diospyros said.

‘For the most part. He’s not so bad.’ If Jamie’s brain had any room to spare from his embarrassment, he would have been surprised by the almost glowing look Cerasus gave him. ‘He’s going to introduce me to someone. A girl.’

‘How would he know any fairies?’ Valencia said with a raised eyebrow.

‘A human girl.’

Time seemed to stand still for a moment as Diospyros and Valencia glanced at each other. Cerasus put down the fork in his hand to frown at them both.

‘Just be careful, dear,’ Valencia said at last. ‘Romancing humans can be tricky.’

‘But _you_ did it,’ Cerasus said, looking at Diospyros.

‘Yes. So I would know. Don’t you think?’

‘What was wrong with Mother?’

‘Nothing, of course. But humans aren’t _like_ us. I would be much happier if you found a fairy instead. Though I suppose you’re young yet.’

‘Oh, am I?’ Cerasus had a fierce look in his eyes, and Jamie tried not to squirm in case it should draw attention to himself, though he was very uncomfortable and close to feeling scared while Cerasus was acting like this. ‘And you think she’s just a fledgling fancy of mine, I suppose.’

‘I most certainly hope so,’ Diospyros said gravely.

‘You wouldn’t take me any more seriously if I _did_ marry a fairy anyway,’ Cerasus said bitterly. He jumped up from his seat and Jamie hastily stood up, cramming a bun into his mouth, when Cerasus hauled on his arm.

‘Cerasus.’ Diospyros had that same dangerous look in his eyes that Cerasus had once fixed on Jamie. ‘Listen to me. You are a prince –‘

‘Don’t bother with the lecture. I’ve heard it a hundred times, I’ll just give it to myself later on.’ And Cerasus dragged Jamie out of the room. He slammed the door behind him, and before he could say anything, Cerasus had brought them both back into Jamie’s room.

By now Jamie was so almost used to the sensation that he only had to close his eyes for a few seconds before he felt better, and anyway there were more pressing matters on his mind. When he opened his eyes again, Cerasus had thrown himself into his desk chair, crossed his arms, drawn his knees up to his chest, and was having a massive sulk.

‘Don’t you think you’re a bit too old to sulk?’ Jamie tried. 

To his relief, Cerasus smiled a little.

‘It’s a bit of an automatic reaction. I’ve been doing it after rows for so long.’

‘Do you fight in general often or is it only over the one thing?’

‘Just in general.’ Cerasus unfolded himself, leaning his elbow against the armrest and propping his chin in his hands. Again Jamie was struck by the quality of pose he seemed to embody, as if he were modelling for a picture. He looked positively beautiful, like something an artist with a deep sadness in his heart would paint to relieve his feelings and his financial problems. ‘I used to hate him for it when I was younger, but lately I’ve come to think that he sees it as his duty to protect me for Mother’s sake.’

‘I see.’ When Cerasus didn’t move, Jamie cursed himself and said, ‘Well I didn’t have a proper breakfast. Come downstairs and tell the rest.’

‘Alright.’ 

Jamie was startled when Cerasus linked arms with him, and was even more surprised that he didn’t object to it. As a matter of fact, it was rather nice. He hadn’t realised that he had begun to like Cerasus, but now he felt that he did, despite everything. They descended to the dining room together, where Dr Stewart was drinking tea while intent on watching his phone, propped up against the water jug. He looked up when they came in.

‘Hello Jamie,’ he said. ‘Oh, and Cerasus too. Did you go somewhere?’

‘Cerasus wanted me to go to the Fae Realm with him for a bit,’ Jamie said. They sat down, and Jamie poured out tea for the both of them. This caused Cerasus to glare and Jamie returned the look with a smile, thus missing the start Dr Stewart gave upon him mentioning the Fae Realm.

‘Is that it? Planning to go back after breakfast then?’ Dr Stewart said with controlled apprehension.

‘No, we’re going to meet Princess.’

‘Ah, of course.’ He relaxed. ‘I’ll be going to town in the afternoon, do you need anything, Jamie?’

He shook his head. With an amiable nod at the both of them, Dr Stewart picked up his mobile and strolled away.

‘Go on then.’ Jamie generously nudged a plate of sweet pastries in Cerasus’ direction. ‘Tell all.’

‘Where do I start?’ Cerasus said, obligingly picking up a Danish pastry.

‘Your mother. What happened to her? Was she a human?’

‘Yes, she was human. She passed away ten years ago.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Jamie said when Cerasus didn’t continue for another moment. He meant it, but it came out awkwardly. He took a sip of tea to hide his embarrassment, but Cerasus appeared to perk up.

‘Do you still have both your parents?’

‘Yes. They live in the city for work, but they encouraged me coming here to study with my uncle.’ Jamie dropped his gaze, even more embarrassed than before by the next bit. ‘I’m supposed to be the heir to this house of his, and my parents want to live in it when I’ve taken over my uncle’s place.’

‘What about you?’ Cerasus frowned at him. ‘Where would you stay?’

‘This house is big enough for all three of us,’ Jamie said.

‘But what if you want to get married or something?’

‘It’s still big enough.’

‘Wouldn’t you –‘ Cerasus looked genuinely puzzled by Jamie’s casual acceptance of his parents’ plans for usurping his entailed estate. ‘Wouldn’t you want to live separately from them eventually?’

‘I don’t know. I’ve never thought I’d want to.’

‘There is no house, here on Earth or in the Fae Realm, that is big enough for me and my father,’ Cerasus proclaimed.

‘Obviously.’

‘Right.’

‘Your father said that you’re a prince.’

‘Oh, that.’ Cerasus sighed and rumpled his deep red curls. ‘It’s just a title mostly, but it means I have to look the part and all that.’

‘How do you not look the part?’

‘It’s kind of you to say so, Jamie.’ Jamie had to take a sip of tea to hide his smile. Cerasus smiled too, and then he shrugged. ‘I’m not interested in learning princely manners or sitting at home studying when I could be outside.’

‘I see.’

The corners of Cerasus’ mouth dipped downwards again. ‘You don’t agree, Jamie?’

‘I suppose I just don’t understand your feelings,’ Jamie said. ‘I’ve always done what I know I have to do.’ He didn’t like how Cerasus’ frown deepened, and reached out to poke his brow. ‘I haven’t said I think any less of you for it yet.’

Cerasus’ scowl disappeared, but perhaps this was only surprise at Jamie’s touch. He looked confused, and said, ‘Fine, fine,’ rather vaguely.

‘How did your father come to meet your mother? Did he make her his servant? If you don’t mind me asking.’

‘No, he just met her.’ Cerasus gave Jamie a meaningful look. ‘That’s why I don’t want to make Seraphine my servant.’

‘Right.’ Jamie couldn’t help but smile at that. ‘Where was your mother from? Was she English?’

‘Probably. Her name was Marie Hayward, and her accent was sort of like yours.’

‘Hayward?’ Jamie put his head to one side curiously.

‘You know the name?’ 

‘It sounds familiar.’

There was a brief pause during which Cerasus tugged at a lock of hair pensively before saying, ‘Would you ask your uncle? I only knew my mother so long and my father almost never talks about her. I like knowing out about her.’

‘Of course.’ Jamie felt moved by Cerasus’ sentiment. ‘Do you have a picture of her?’

‘We have loads, of course. I’ll bring you one sometime. The really lovely one of her is hanging in the living room of our house, though. Would you ... would you like to look at it sometime?’

‘I would love to.’

‘Great.’ Cerasus smiled almost shyly. They both munched on toast in quiet for a few seconds, and then Cerasus dusted his fingers and said, ‘It’s past eleven now.’

‘Alright, alright.’ Jamie finished off his tea. ‘I’m just going to tell her who you are, and then I’m going to leave, okay?’

‘Call yourself a wingman!’ 

‘I don’t. Tear yourself away from breakfast, Cerasus, and we’ll go.’

Sighing, Cerasus stood up and followed Jamie out. They descended the steps to the foyer where Jamie let him look into a room he called the living room, though it was the size of two living rooms, which had a normal-sized television inside.

‘We don’t really use it though,’ Jamie explained. ‘My uncle watches football, and that’s it. We mostly use it to entertain guests.’

‘Have a lot of those?’

‘Not really. Mostly they call themselves patients.’

Outside was somewhat overcast, unusual for summer, but quite typical for England. Cerasus looked at the sky sadly.

‘Not a good omen,’ he said.

‘Fairies must consider Great Britain quite unlucky then.’

‘We’re tree spirits. The sun is a lucky symbol.’ Cerasus teased his curls through his fingers, gazing at the horizon morosely. ‘Rain isn’t so bad though. It’s second best to sun. Cloudy days are just ...’ He shrugged.

Despite himself, Jamie slowed his pace to look at him and ask, ‘Are there other kinds of fairies besides tree spirits then?’

‘There are all kinds of elements.’ Cerasus gave Jamie a look that was not entirely imperious, but not quite uncondescending either. It almost made Jamie feel as edgy and irritated as their first meeting together. ‘Most bodies of water have at least a family of fairies consider it their territory. They think the sight of aquatic birds flying around is lucky.’

‘Well I’m not waiting until next week for sunny skies,’ Jamie said, and trooped off to the neighbouring estate, Cerasus trailing behind.

‘Seraphine’s family ... aren’t prejudiced against fairies, are they?’ Cerasus asked at Jamie’s elbow.

‘We’ll see,’ Jamie said lightly, but he wasn’t worried. Seraphine’s family knew _him_ at least, and that would probably enough for them to refrain from commenting.

The door opened before Jamie could ring the bell, and Seraphine’s mother emerged, dressed to go out. Her hair was fairer than Seraphine’s, and her pale face and doe eyes would have made her look almost the same age if it were not for the fact that she was looking at Jamie as if she had seen worse things in her years, but only on the underside of her perfect leather heels.

‘Good morning, James,’ she said coolly. ‘I haven’t seen you in a while.’

‘Hello, Mrs Aikema.’ Jamie smiled rather weakly. ‘I’ve come to see Seraphine.’

Mrs Aikema passed a withering look over Cerasus, and then over his dark red wings, finally proceeding to glare at Jamie as if disapproving of him by association.

‘She’s probably outside at the back,’ she said at last, clearly not finding it worthwhile to remark. ‘You may go through the side gate.’

‘Thank you, Mrs Aikema. Have a nice day.’ Jamie seized Cerasus’ arm and towed him off as she swept away to her car.

‘Was that the elemental spirit of the local thunderstorms?’ Cerasus asked in an awed voice.

‘Quiet, she’ll hear you,’ Jamie hissed.

‘Jamie, I’m having second thoughts.’

‘Good.’

‘I don’t want that woman for a mother-in-law.’

‘The most sensible thing you’ve ever said to me.’

They had come to the previously alluded-to gate, which was locked, but being low, was easily climbed over. It was clearly for keeping animals rather than people out (or in), and Jamie vaulted over it with practiced ease.

‘Hello, Jamie!’ Seraphine greeted cheerfully when they came in view of each other. ‘I haven’t seen you in so many summers – oh!’

The latter remark was directed towards Cerasus, who had walked up to them pulling down his sleeve cuffs with nervous anticipation. He looked up at her at the sound of her voice, and blushed the same colour as his hair.

‘Hello, Seraphine,’ Jamie said much more calmly. ‘This is my friend Cerasus.’

‘He’s a fairy!’ she exclaimed.

‘Very observant of you. As a matter of fact, he’s asked me to introduce you to him.’

A smile touched her face and she ducked her head shyly. ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Nice to meet you, Cerasus. I’m Seraphine.’ She extended a slim, fair hand.

‘Nice to meet you.’ Cerasus appeared to recover himself as the love-light re-entered his eyes, and he took her hand reverently. Jamie tactfully made his exit.

-

Much later in the evening, Jamie was lying on his front on his bed, earphones in and watching a movie on his laptop. His mind had been blissfully free of worries ever since he had dropped Cerasus off at Seraphine’s house, where he had proceeded to thoroughly enjoy his Saturday. Not even the sound of somebody tapping on his window could dampen his spirits. He only crawled over to the side of the bed where the window was and opened it without even taking off his earphones. When Cerasus flew in, he assumed it was to heap praises on Seraphine, and idly gestured to the chair without a word. He then continued his previous position and resumed watching his movie.

Ignoring Jamie’s invitation to the chair, Cerasus strode over and prodded Jamie’s side.

‘You can go on, I’m listening,’ Jamie said, and took one earphone out to prove it.

‘What are you on about?’ Cerasus said, and Jamie noted for the first time that Cerasus was not looking as bright as he expected him to be.

Sensing impeding seriousness, Jamie paused his video and said, ‘Did you want to talk to me about something?’

Cerasus dropped his gaze and scuffed his shoes on the carpet. ‘Not really,’ he muttered.

‘Right.’ After a moment’s deliberation, Jamie scooted over on the bed and offered him the spare earphone. ‘It’s _The Other Guys_. Watched it before?’

‘No.’ Cerasus kicked off his shoes, took the earphone, and crossed his legs on the bedspread next to Jamie. The edge of one of his wings brushed Jamie’s back as he made himself comfortable. The sensation was as substantial as an insect landing on his skin.

‘I’ll restart it from the beginning then.’ 

So they sat together and watched the film while the sun’s long rays outside slowly receded and disappeared altogether in the sunset. 

Two-thirds of the way in, Jamie was lying on his side and Cerasus had his head pillowed on Jamie’s stomach, no longer paying attention to the movie.

‘Women, Jamie,’ he sighed.

Giving up on the movie for the moment, Jamie said, ‘A fair species of people.’

‘I disagree.’

‘I see.’

‘Ever dated a woman, Jamie?’

‘No.’

‘You mean you’ve dated more than one, I suppose.’

‘No. I have never dated any woman.’

‘What?! Why not? You’re not all bad-looking or anything.’

‘I’m not particularly keen on women. Now men, I might be able to tell you a thing or two about.’

Silence reigned for a moment. For how light Cerasus always looked, his head was heavy, and Jamie was wondering how to tell him to get off.

‘Sorry,’ Cerasus said at length.

‘For what?’

‘Oh ... nothing.’

Jamie snorted. ‘Anything else?’

‘Yes. Seraphine.’

‘A veritable angel, you’ve said.’

‘I take it back.’

‘Excellent decision.’

Cerasus groaned. ‘Try to not rub it in, Jamie. The recollection still stings.’

‘I did tell you. What did she do anyway?’

There was another pause, during which Jamie took the opportunity to push Cerasus off. He complained, but obligingly rolled over.

‘We got along very well at first,’ Cerasus began.

‘I thought you might. You two are similar in a lot of ways.’

‘What ... do you mean?’ Cerasus said cautiously.

‘You both act like royalty, for a start. The only difference is that you _are_ royalty and she isn’t as far as I know, but otherwise I thought you both would see eye-to-eye on the fact that everyone else should bow to your every wish.’

‘Jamie!’ Cerasus looked absolutely shocked. ‘You don’t mean that?’

‘You mean you haven’t noticed?’

‘I’m not like that at all!’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. My mistake.’

‘Alright, enough sarcasm.’ Cerasus glared. ‘I get it. But ...’

By now, Jamie was getting bored of thoughtful silences, and proceeded to prompt him with a ‘Yes?’

‘Do you really think I’m like that?’

‘Er ...’ Jamie squirmed under the pleading look Cerasus was giving him. Those green eyes really were rather fetching.

‘I’ve always thought of my father like that,’ Cerasus explained. ‘I don’t want to turn out like him.’

‘I see.’

‘Would you ...’ Cerasus pulled at the fabric of the bedspread, and Jamie had to slap his hand away to stop him from tugging out a loose thread. ‘Would you _tell_ me if I was acting like that so I could know to stop?’

It was fair to say that Jamie just about melted. He had, so far in their acquaintance, seen Cerasus as a selfish, spoiled child on the same level as Princess, but presented with the thought that his behaviour was simply the product of a closely sheltered childhood, Jamie felt his heart warm to him. But he tried to keep the stiff upper lip so as to not make it apparent that his guard had fallen down, lest Cerasus be tempted to push the point.

‘Fair enough,’ he said simply.

‘Thanks.’ Cerasus smiled and nudged him affectionately. Jamie elbowed him back. This started a bit of a scuffle, which only ended when Jamie managed to sit on Cerasus’ legs and pin his arms above his head.

‘Stop moving and keep talking or I’ll keep you like this,’ Jamie said, quite forgetting himself.

‘I don’t think so.’ Cerasus grinned mischievously, though it was lost on Jamie due to the fact that the sun was now well set and they had neglected to turn on the lights. ‘Get off me, Jamie.’

As if an electric shock had been applied to his spine, Jamie jumped up and tumbled off the bed.

‘Oh, Sol and Helios!’ Cerasus leapt up and scrambled to the edge of the bed. ‘Are you hurt, Jamie?’

‘Just my pride,’ Jamie grumbled, sprawled on the floor, massaging his forehead, though more in consternation than pain. ‘Tussle like a real man, Cerasus.’

‘Nothing unmanly about magic,’ Cerasus said brightly. ‘Anyway, I can’t wrestle like you.’

Jamie sat up and leaned his head against the side of the bed. Cerasus settled down on his front and rested his chin on the top of Jamie’s head.

‘Need more practice?’ Jamie asked, settling into the position.

‘Fairies have less physical strength than most humans,’ Cerasus said, sending vibrations down Jamie’s spine with every moment of his jaw. He shifted to lie his cheek against Jamie’s head again before continuing, ‘Somebody told me why during lessons once, but I’ve forgotten.’

‘Typical,’ Jamie sighed.

‘Shh.’ Cerasus laid a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. ‘None of that. As if you’d do better if you had tutors flitting in and out drilling a million things into your head all the time.’

‘Yes, yes,’ Jamie said dismissively, and had his shoulder squeezed sharply for his pains.

‘The point is – oh, _Magec_!’

‘Another sun god?’

‘Jamie!’ Cerasus hissed, pushing himself up on his hands.

‘What?’ Jamie turned around to look at him in bewilderment. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘My father!’

‘Wh-what?’

Cerasus wailed, and the next moment, he had launched himself at Jamie, who caught himself yet another blow on the head from the floor.

‘I’m going to get a concussion,’ Jamie moaned. Cerasus had sprawled himself atop him, his arms locked around Jamie’s neck and his face pressed into Jamie’s shoulder. Quite a lot of Jamie’s vision was blocked by his wings too.

‘Jamie!’ he cried again.

‘ _Yes_. _What_?’

‘My father! What am I going to tell him?’

‘About what?’

‘About _Seraphine_! He’ll go all “Oh I told you so, now stay in your room and do your lessons” on me!’

‘I – I see ...’ Jamie tried to pat his shoulder blade. ‘Er ... there, there ...’

‘I won’t be able to stand it! He gets so _superior_ when he’s right!’

‘You don’t say.’

When Cerasus only groaned again, Jamie sighed and turned on his side, tipping Cerasus off. Cerasus lay on the floor with his wings in a heap on one side, looking at him beseechingly, though, once again, the expression was lost on Jamie due to the lack of light. It was quite dark now.

‘How old are you, Cerasus?’ Jamie asked as they rested on the carpet, facing each other.

‘I’m twenty-five.’

‘ _Twenty –_ ‘ Jamie cleared his throat to cover up his surprise. ‘A bit old to be afraid of your father, aren’t you?’

‘I’m not afraid of him,’ Cerasus said, his sulking tone quite belying his age. ‘It’s just that I get so _angry_ when he starts being patronising. It’s terrible form to hit your own father.’

‘Oh ... right.’ And after that, Jamie couldn’t think of anything to say except ‘There, there’ again, and he didn’t think that would be wise. He tried to pat the fairy’s arm, and got his hand instead. ‘Well ... I’ll be here to help you deal with the aftermath of that, if you like.’

Cerasus let out a soft laugh. ‘Thank you, Jamie.’

‘What _did_ she do to you anyway?’

The fairy’s placid expression vanished and he covered his face with his hands, writing in agony. ‘You’re not going to believe this, Jamie.’

‘I’ve known Princess a while.’

‘You have, haven’t you?’ Cerasus lowered his hands and looked at him with wide, injured eyes. ‘She – she – we’d hardly introduced ourselves when –‘ He squirmed for a moment and continued with effort, ‘she asked me if – if I’d – if I’d fly her around the garden. Like I was a flying _horse_!’

Jamie didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He was trying not to laugh.

‘I told you,’ he said. ‘A complete princess. Hardly acts her age.’ He refrained from adding the remark that she was quite a lot like someone else he knew.

‘Love is dead, Jamie. Let us never speak of her again.’

‘Very well.’

They fell into companionable silence. Jamie was thinking.

‘Cerasus?’ he said at length.

‘Yes?’

‘Ignore me if you like, but you don’t have a lot of friends, do you?’

‘Is it obvious?’ Cerasus said, voice tense.

‘I guess I recognise the signs. I’m like that too.’

‘Really?’ Cerasus sounded startled.

‘I used to visit my uncle almost every summer in my childhood, but I only came here to study under him last year. This village had a lot of kids in it when I was young, but most of them have grown up and left home, so most of the people left are their parents. There aren’t a lot of people my age to talk to.’

‘Oh.’ Jamie’s hand was still on top of Cerasus’, and Cerasus turned his hand palm upwards to hold it. ‘Then I suppose we are the same. I’ve lived with my father my whole life, but most of the people I knew as a child have already moved on to live their own lives too.’

‘That must be why we latched onto each other the moment we met even though it was on unequal grounds,’ Jamie said smilingly. 

‘It wasn’t _exactly_ –‘

A knock on the door surprised them both, and before either could move, Dr Stewart had opened the door and poked his head in, saying, ‘Asleep already, Jamie?’

Light from the corridor outside fell on the carpet where Cerasus and Jamie were lying, their hands still clasped together. Dr Stewart stared at them and they stared back, too stunned to move.

‘Whoops,’ the good doctor said softly. ‘So sorry to disturb. Do carry on.’ And he withdrew, quietly closing the door after him.

It was almost a whole minute before Jamie found his voice again.

‘I hate you _so much_ , Cerasus,’ he said.

‘No, really?’

‘You don’t understand. My uncle is the worst gossip in the town, and he’s already teased me about you and I being a couple.’

‘Aww.’ Cerasus sat up, folded his arms over Jamie’s chest and rested his chin on them. ‘Do you think being my – um, boyfriend would be that bad?’

‘The point is,’ Jamie said, narrowing his eyes at Cerasus, ‘I’m not.’

‘No.’ Cerasus smiled. ‘You’re not.’ And then he sighed so deeply, Jamie felt it roll through his chest. ‘I guess I should go home.’

‘You can come back tomorrow. It’s still the weekend.’

‘Can I?’ Cerasus cheered up instantly. ‘There’s something I want to show you tomorrow.’

‘Do I have to go to your house to see it?’

‘No, I can bring it over.’

‘Alright then.’

‘Okay!’ Cerasus chirped. He jumped to his feet and Jamie followed suit. ‘I’ll try to drop by _after_ breakfast.’

‘Much obliged,’ Jamie said, and was taken aback when Cerasus flung his arms around him once more. But perhaps he shouldn’t have been. ‘You’re as touchy-feely as you look.’

‘Shut up,’ Cerasus said, entirely too happily to have any effect on Jamie at all, and left.

-

Cerasus didn’t come by until twelve, and then he had some difficulty finding out which window to tap at, as all the likely places had their curtains drawn. Eventually, he gave up on the idea of knocking, and simply teleported into Jamie’s room.

Jamie was at his desk, reading a book. When he looked up at Cerasus, his gaze seemed to slide off him, and he said rather icily, ‘Ah, Cerasus. Just the man I wanted to see.’

This was a far cry from how Cerasus imagined Jamie greeting him that morning, but he rallied round and tried to brighten the atmosphere. ‘I’m not exactly a man, remember?’ He flapped his wings to emphasise his point, causing a brief gust of wind to ruffle Jamie’s hair. 

It didn’t seem to impress him.

‘I asked my uncle about your mother,’ he said.

‘Oh, did you?’ Cerasus said brightly. ‘I brought a family photo album to show you some pictures of her.’

‘There’s no need to show them to me,’ Jamie said. Cerasus reeled backwards in shock.

‘What’s gotten into you?!’ he demanded, hurling the aforementioned album to the ground with a _thud_. ‘You were all sunshine yesterday and today I find you as cold as – as Mrs Aikema!’

For a very short moment, the corner of Jamie’s mouth twitched as if he were about to smile, and Cerasus thought he had got him back. But the expression smoothed over and Jamie was like a storm once more.

‘Hayward,’ he said slowly, as if to make sure every word sunk into Cerasus’ very skin, ‘was the name of my great-uncle. Marie Hayward was my uncle’s cousin. His very dearest friend, as a matter of fact.’

‘Oh.’ Cerasus found a chair and sat down in it. ‘Um, was she – was she the girl from the village who disappeared with a fairy?’

‘That’s right.’

‘But I told you, my father didn’t take her as a servant. They fell in love and she came of her own accord!’

‘Who told you that?’

‘My mother.’

‘I suppose she would have said that, if your father had ordered her to.’

‘ _Jamie_!’

‘Don’t say my name like that,’ Jamie snapped. 

Cerasus stared. ‘You – you really think my father _forced_ my mother to stay with him?’

‘I’ve met your father. I find it much easier to believe he kidnapped a human than that he actually wooed her into falling in love with him.’

‘But I _knew_ my mother. She was my best friend for fifteen years and she loved my father – though I admit not even I knew why sometimes. Do you think I’m lying?’

‘Yes,’ Jamie said bluntly, and Cerasus found that he had to blink back tears.

‘You are the most unfeeling person I’ve ever met,’ he said in his most tragic manner.

‘Besides you, you mean.’

‘You were all chummy and sweet yesterday, and you get a turn of heart just because of a rumour that your first cousin once removed – someone you never even _knew_! – was stolen away by a fairy! You find it easier to believe a lot of town gossips over _me_ , somebody you called your friend just twelve hours ago!’

‘At least the town gossips are human,’ said Jamie. The statement froze Cerasus’ very heart, and he was seized by the impulse to throw his photo album at him. He stopped himself only because he didn’t think it was worth the risk of damaging a precious family artefact. ‘Anyway, it’s not them I believe. It’s my uncle, who I’ve known my whole _life_.’

‘But –‘ Cerasus said again, ‘I thought – your uncle didn’t have any objection to me when he first met me.’

‘No, but that was before he found out you belonged to a family of habitual kidnappers.’

‘I haven’t forced _you_ to stay with me, have I?’

‘No, and I’ll thank you to leave me alone from now on.’

A ringing silence followed this declaration.

‘You don’t want to see me again?’ Cerasus said with frigid calm.

‘Ever.’

‘You know I could force you to wait on me hand and foot if I wanted to?’

‘I’m hoping to appeal to your better nature.’

‘According to you, I don’t have much of one.’

‘I’ll lean on whatever you have.’

Cerasus closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again. ‘My mother was _happy_ in the Fae Realm.’

‘Then why didn’t she visit her family after she got married?’ Jamie demanded. ‘She never even told anyone where she was going. She was seen with a fairy one day, and then she was gone the next.’

The question knocked Cerasus sideways. He had never known his mother to leave the Fae Realm, nor had she ever expressed unhappiness about her situation.

‘Probably because she liked the Fae Realm a lot better than this world. I know I would if I had people like _you_ as family.’ Cerasus realised, even as he said the words, that they were untrue. He liked Jamie. As a matter of fact, he was discovering that he liked Jamie even more than he thought he did, and he, Cerasus, was beginning to feel worse than every time a girl had ever rejected him combined.

‘She and my uncle were like brother and sister whenever they were together,’ Jamie went on, ignoring this. ‘He finds it hard to believe that she would have left without a word unless she was forced to.’

‘Then let your horrible uncle believe what he likes!’ Cerasus shouted, jumping up from his seat, glaring fiercely at Jamie. Jamie looked back impassively. 

That was what Cerasus hated most of all – that Jamie seemed completely sincere in his wish to see the back of Cerasus once and for all. Unable to bear it any longer, Cerasus turned around and bent to pick down his album.

‘Just tell me one thing, Jamie,’ he said with his expression hidden. ‘This leaving you alone business. Is it what you want, or is it under your uncle’s orders?’

‘My uncle suggested it, and I agreed with him.’

‘Oh really?’ Cerasus whirled around, eyes blazing. ‘And that’s what you want in your heart? Tell the truth!’

It was an order, yet Jamie only set his jaw and said nothing. Cerasus was completely astounded. He didn’t know humans could do that. But he realised that Jamie wasn’t meeting his eye.

‘Fine,’ Cerasus said softly. ‘I was hoping I was wrong about the impression I had of you the first time we met, but I can see I wasn’t. You really are a spineless little kitten.’

‘Thank you. I like kittens.’

Cerasus had to cough as he turned away to hide his desire to laugh. He marched to the window and after wrestling with the curtains for a few anticlimactic seconds, he flew out.

-

For the next week, Cerasus spent most of his time in his own home. He avoided his father, read some books, several of which were his childhood attempts at keeping a diary, looked through old family photo albums, and when he couldn’t find the answers he was looking for in them, he asked the servants questions. At one point, he even pulled himself together long enough to ask his aunt.

After she had answered about half his questions twice as suspiciously as he thought she would, she asked after ‘James and your human girl’. Cerasus tried to look her in the eye and say it was going well, and he would give her an update on his progress the next week.

Eventually, to his consternation, Cerasus discovered that he really would have to ask Diospyros about some of the things he needed to know. 

‘Why are you asking me that?’ Diospyros said, almost indifferently, giving Cerasus a cool look. But at least he wasn’t angry.

‘You’re the only person around to ask.’ Cerasus cleared his throat as Diospyros’ look became slightly less indifferent and slightly more cool. ‘Um, my friend, Jamie. I found out he’s related to Mother and I want to tell him about her.’

‘Really? Did he ask you about her?’

‘He definitely wants to know,’ Cerasus said confidently.

‘He does not harbour resentment against us for it?’

‘Er, Jamie’s better than that. But his uncle seems to have difficulty accepting the fact. Apparently they were bosom friends and he never really got over her disappearance.’

Diospyros looked at him with proper surprise. ‘Is your friend’s uncle Edwin Stewart, by any chance?’

‘He’s definitely a Stewart,’ Cerasus said, equally astonished. ‘Did Mother mention him?’

‘She did,’ Diospyros said, and filled Cerasus in on the details. 

‘Are you going to tell Dr Stewart about this?’ Diospyros said at the last.

‘Yes. Shouldn’t I?’

‘I suppose you should.’

Cerasus nodded, but before he could leave, Diospyros stopped him to ask about his human girl. Cerasus answered that he would tell him the next week, and fled the room.

On Saturday, Cerasus put together a quick glamour spell before he went to Jamie’s house. He only wanted to hide his wings briefly so that he could knock at the front door, and it would hopefully not be necessary for long. Picking up his things, he went.

The door was opened by the maid, who was not so pretty upon closer inspection after all, Cerasus thought. She let him into the living room and went to get Jamie.

To Cerasus’ relief, Jamie didn’t make much of a fuss about seeing him. He just strode into the room to stand opposite Cerasus, giving him that frosty, unsympathetic look. 

‘Left something?’ he said.

‘N-no.’ Truth be told, now that his blood was no longer boiling, Cerasus found that an angry Jamie was a rather unnerving Jamie. Those deep blue eyes were pretty suited to looking at the world like it was something he had found wriggling out of the garbage heap. ‘Actually, I wanted to talk to your uncle.’

‘Don’t be stupid.’

‘I’m never stupid.’

‘Think again. If you can, that is.’

Cerasus sighed. ‘Jamie, please? I want to tell him about my mother.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. He knows a lot about her already.’

‘He doesn’t know what I’m going to tell him.’ Cerasus extended the leather-bound volume he had brought with him. ‘I want to tell him why she never visited Earth after she got married.’

There was a silence, during which Jamie stared at the book Cerasus’ hands, and Cerasus held his breath. Finally, Jamie said, ‘Fine. I’ll tell him you’re here, but I don’t know if he’ll see you.’

‘Thanks, Jamie.’

Jamie gave him a funny look, but withdrew from the room without another word.

It was several minutes before Jamie returned, and Cerasus was seriously wondering if anybody would mind if he lay down on the sofa for a moment to calm himself when the door opened again. Dr Stewart came in first, everything genial Cerasus had ever known about him as absent as if it had never been in the first place. Jamie followed, and he spoke first.

‘I was wondering if you’d take this off,’ he said, holding out his wrist with the red bracelet on it to Cerasus. ‘Since you won’t be needing me anymore.’

‘Oh.’ Cerasus swallowed down the lump that had risen in his throat. ‘Jamie, um –‘

‘What?’ Jamie said in those icy tones again.

‘I was hoping you wouldn’t mind seeing me again after I tell you about my mother,’ Cerasus said rather meekly.

‘What if I do mind?’

‘I’ll take it off then.’

‘Alright.’ Jamie shrugged and stepped back. 

Dr Stewart had sat in a chair, and he was wearing a jacket and tie. It gave the whole thing a formal and intimidating air. Cerasus felt like he was undergoing an examination.

‘I, er –‘ He said when nobody said anything else, turning the book over in his hands in nervousness, and then suddenly remembered why he’d brought it. ‘This is for you.’ He offered it to the doctor. When he made no move to take it, Cerasus said, ‘It’s photos of my mother and some other things she left behind when she died.’

‘So she did die,’ Dr Stewart said quietly. He accepted the book but didn’t open it. Cerasus realised that Dr Stewart, having never heard word of Marie, didn’t know she had passed away until Jamie had told him of the relation between her and Cerasus. ‘What happened to her?’

‘She took ill after my baby brother was born ten years ago,’ Cerasus said. Jamie’s eyes flickered to his face in surprise. ‘She passed away a few days afterwards, and my brother did too.’

‘I see.’

‘She – she never told _me_ about her family and I never thought to ask, but my father said she did talk about them with him. She said – he told me she said – that when she first decided to marry him, she wanted to marry him before telling anyone so it would be too late for her family to stop her.’

‘As we rightfully would have,’ Dr Stewart interjected. Cerasus shrank back a little more.

‘But, uh, afterwards, she felt ashamed about eloping and dithered about telling her family because of it.’ Cerasus began tugging on a curl falling over his forehead in anxiety over the next part. ‘There’s a letter in there that she wrote. She didn’t quite finish it, but my father saved it in case she changed her mind. After her death, he thought about completing it on her behalf, but she hadn’t addressed it and he didn’t know where to send it. I think it’s written to you.’

‘To me?’ Dr Stewart said, taken aback. He immediately opened the book, and Cerasus chanced a glance at Jamie, but he wasn’t looking at him. He was looking over Dr Stewart’s shoulder as he looked through the book.

It was a sort of scrapbook, with photographs and small trinkets pasted in. They were copies of things Cerasus had found around his home, duplicated with magic so they were almost exact replicas of the original item. The only exception was the letter, which was the original. Diospyros had given it to him during their conversation about Marie’s family.

The letter was stuck in after several pages of photos. Dr Stewart had rushed over them at first, but paused and went back over them when he realised what they were. There was a picture of Marie on her wedding day in a white dress embroidered with red and green, of her and Diospyros holding a baby Cerasus, of Marie and an adolescent Cerasus arm-in-arm.

‘This is your father?’ Dr Stewart said, holding up the book and pointing to a picture of Marie in Diospyros’ arms. They were a picture of contrast, Marie in jeans and a blouse, her red head leaning on his shoulder a stark difference from the grey of his suit, but they both looked happy. Or rather, Marie looked disgruntled and Diospyros looked triumphant, yet it was clear that it was nothing more than a joke or a game between the two. It was one of Cerasus’ favourite pictures of them. His father’s natural seriousness meant that he seldom looked particularly happy even when Marie was still alive.

‘Yes. His name is Diospyros and it’s no use asking what Mother saw in him. I haven’t the faintest.’

A smile touched Jamie’s face and didn’t quite disappear right away.

‘What is he like?’ Dr Stewart said.

‘Oh, he’s really superior and imperious all the time. We’re a noble family and you can definitely tell from him,’ Cerasus said.

‘So unlike someone I know,’ Jamie remarked. But he said it lightly, and far from being offended, Cerasus smiled.

‘I suppose he’s also confident and smart and protective of his family, but that’s all I can bear to say about him.’ Cerasus put his head to one side and thought for a moment. ‘Mother and Father were like military generals on opposite sides. Sometimes I got the impression they enjoyed arguing with each other, for all they liked each other so much. Once while they were in the middle of a row, I asked her if she was angry at him, and she said she loved Father to his boots, but she wasn’t about to tell him that without a fight.’ Cerasus realised his smile was beginning to wobble a bit, and had to bite his lip to steady himself.

‘Marie was always argumentative.’ Dr Stewart smiled fondly. ‘I used to give her things she wanted or lose quarrels just because it annoyed her so much.’ 

Cerasus nodded but couldn’t say anything else, and Dr Stewart returned to the book. Jamie looked at Cerasus briefly before continuing to look at the book too.

The letter was next. The hand it was written in was neat, but the letter was smudged in many places, with words and whole sentences crossed out. Some of the writing was different, as if it had been written in a different pen, or added later on. Corrections were stacked on one another. Probably it was more of a draft than a letter at all. Cerasus hadn’t been able to read it all, but Diospyros had read it out to him, and it was apparent Dr Stewart didn’t have any difficulty with it either: 

_Dear Edwin,_

_I’m sure this letter will give you a fright, for which ~~I am sorry~~ I am glad, because it will make up for all the times you’ve tried to scare me when we were children. ~~especially all those pathetic attempts that never succeeded~~ You might as well try to scare me back by answering._

_I am writing from the Fae Realm right now. I don’t know how much you and my parents know, but when I left, I did it to marry a fairy. ~~He is~~ ~~a tyrant and a bully.~~ No, no, don’t take me seriously if you can read that last bit. His name is Diospyros and he is simply wonderful, my whole world, though I’ll be damned if anybody ever tries to tell him I think that. Life with him is a constant war with few triumphs and I know I’m enjoying it thoroughly. ~~He’s absolutely amazing, and it has become my life’s goal to make him admit that I am too.~~_

_This is what I am writing to tell you, how I’m doing now. When Diospyros and I first fell in love, I realised that my parents would never agree to it. ~~though now I am not so sure.~~ You know what they’re like. So I decided to marry him first before telling anyone. After our marriage, I was determined to tell everyone, but ~~I didn’t want to~~ I was just afraid to. I had no fear of becoming an outcast of Earth, but I didn’t want to be rejected by my own family. I put it off for longer and longer, and I felt guiltier and guiltier. But it has been ~~nine~~ ~~ten~~ ~~twelve~~ years and I think about my human family every day. And yet I can’t even bring myself to ask Diospyros or any other fairies to look for news of you when they go to Earth._

_That is just the truth. I will now tell you other things to take your mind off of how angry you probably are at me. ~~My handsome husband~~ My incredible terror of a husband is some sort of a king here. It is mostly a title with some land attached, but it makes me a queen. Nobody bothers calling me ‘Your Majesty’, which is a bit of a shame, but they do call me ‘my lady’, which I suppose isn’t too bad._

_I have a son, and he is the light of my life. I’m sure you would love him too if you met him. ~~Not just because he’s mine, I mean~~. He is the most handsome thing, always poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong and using those looks he knows are too good for him to beg for favours from people. I wanted to name him Gabriel, after Daddy, you know, and I thought it would be so ~~funny~~ interesting to name a fairy after an angel. But Diospyros said that fairies name themselves after their element, so his name became Cerasus, a fairy of cherries. Even if you never want to see me again, I hope you’ll at least plant a cherry tree in your parents’ garden in his honour for me._

_You might think I’d be bored here with not much work to do – most menial work is done by servants, and God, was I surprised when I found out they were all humans! I knew that fairies could kidnap humans, but this! I worried sick about this for days until Diospyros told me most of them are happy to be there. He said humans are never drawn to eat a fairy’s fruit unless they feel discontented with Earth in some way. In return for the fairy’s help, they do jobs around the Fae Realm. I pointed out to him that I’d married him even without eating his fruit, and he said wasn’t that just his luck. We had a proper squabble about that!_

_Right, work. Well I do do things here, like talking to the people who drop in and out of here all the time. Apparently, being a king of sorts, people come to Diospyros asking all sorts of things. Even when I can’t help them with advice, I can help give them drinks and pat them on the hand when they’re particularly upset. They don’t have tea here, thank God! I’ll be honest, Edwin, the life of a queen is suited to me. I only have to go out when I want to, and while Diospyros will fight me about anything, he never tries to tell me to get out of bed early._

_Oh, I’m just rambling here, as you can probably tell. I just don’t know how to tell you how happy I am living here and how miserable I feel thinking about my family on Earth. ~~I want to see my parents again~~ ~~I’d like to see how you’re doing~~ ~~On second thought I’d probably rather not see Mummy and Daddy~~ ~~at least tell me how they’re doing~~_

It ended there. The entire bottom line of a sheet was covered in her signature of varying sizes, more doodling than really signing.

‘What nonsense,’ Dr Stewart said softly. ‘Afraid to write to her family when she’d been gone so long, they would have welcomed her with open arms if she’d run away to join the circus.’

‘Father said,’ Cerasus began in a trembling voice, ‘that one of her greatest fears was that her family would drag her back to Earth.’

‘Sounds like she didn’t end up eating your father’s fruit only by chance,’ Jamie said.

‘Maybe,’ Cerasus acquiesced, looking up at him with deep, sad eyes. ‘I don’t know how they met. The one time I asked, they just smirked at each other and I never dared again.’ He grimaced, and Jamie nodded sympathetically. 

‘What was your mother like as you knew her?’ Dr Stewart said.

‘Oh, she was brilliant.’ Cerasus brightened up at once. ‘Mother always had time for me. We used to go out together all the time, to see places and people. Everyone in the neighbourhood adored her. I never even had any friends other than her when I was a kid – I didn’t need them.’ The flow stopped, and he suddenly dropped his gaze and frowned at his feet. ‘Well, that’s what I thought back then, anyway.’

‘What ... do you mean?’ Jamie said. He leaned forward slightly, as if to catch Cerasus’ eye, but he didn’t move any further from where he stood.

‘After Mother passed away, I didn’t have anyone to talk to,’ Cerasus said to the floor. ‘Everyone came to the funeral and tried to cheer me up, but there wasn’t anyone to _listen_. I didn’t even see Father at all for a week afterwards. It was like being dead myself.’ 

He swallowed and blinked a few times before he found the courage to look up again. Dr Stewart was looking at him closely, and though his look was not quite commiserative, it was not as cold as it had been before. As a matter of fact, the doctor looked a little lost, as if he didn’t know what to think or feel.

‘I’m sorry Mother never took it into herself to see you,’ Cerasus said. ‘She’s gone from me too now, and I think I know how you feel. But Father never wanted anything with her except to make her happy, and I don’t want anything with Jamie except to make him happy too.’

And that was when Jamie flung himself at Cerasus. For a moment, Cerasus thought Jamie was going to hug him, which he would have been extremely happy to accept; the next moment, Jamie had punched his shoulder hard, sending him sprawling onto a chair, crumpling his wings, and he didn’t let up there, either. But the blows he sent to Cerasus’ chest were much gentler, and Cerasus realised they were meant to be more affectionate than anything else.

‘You idiot!’ Jamie yelled. ‘What did you have to go saying that for?’

‘Saying – saying what?’ Cerasus gasped, struggling to fend him off so he could breathe.

‘All that – that _tripe_ about – about – _God_ , damn you, Cerasus!’

Dr Stewart chuckled, and Jamie gave Cerasus a real one to the shoulder again. 

‘Me, talking to you again!’ Jamie went on shouting. ‘Forget it!’

‘ _What_?’ Cerasus said equally loudly, shocked and hurt.

‘I said forget it!’ Jamie really did throw his arms around Cerasus then, and whipped his head around to glare at Dr Stewart. ‘And _you_ can just shut up. Stop laughing!’

‘I’m sorry,’ Dr Stewart said. Cerasus couldn’t see his face, but he was pretty sure the doctor was still smiling. ‘I just didn’t know you two felt so strongly about each other. I suppose I should have guessed when I saw you lying down together on your bedroom floor, in the dark, just the two of you, the other day, but ...’

‘You don’t know anything,’ Jamie growled. He turned back to Cerasus and pressed his face against his hair. ‘Cerasus, have I told you before that I hate you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well don’t go forgetting it.’ Jamie let go and stepped back. Cerasus looked up at him, somewhat confused as to what was happening, but overall cautiously optimistic. Jamie gave him a very severe look. Then he coughed and the line of his shoulders dropped a fraction. 

‘I’m sorry,’ he said.

‘It’s okay.’ Cerasus smiled, feeling a weight roll off his shoulders. ‘I wasn’t really angry at you in the end. I felt kind of jealous, actually. I don’t have any family member whose word I trust so much as you trust your uncle anymore.’

Jamie rolled his eyes. ‘Never mind, Cerasus. You don’t want to go paying too much attention to this guy anymore.’ Jamie jerked his thumb over his shoulder at his uncle, who raised his eyebrows in reply. ‘He’s just a grumpy old man who never got over the fact that his best friend going missing led his girlfriend at the time to leave him too.’

Cerasus was surprised, both at the revelation that Jamie’s relationship with his uncle was so friendly that he could tease him so easily, and by the newly exposed fact as well.

‘How did that happen?’ he asked.

‘Nothing so dramatic,’ Dr Stewart said airily, waving his hand. ‘I became acquainted with her when her family visited the town for the summer, but after Marie disappeared, the town was seen as cursed and they left never to return. I _did_ get over it,’ he added to Jamie. ‘I just got a bit absorbed in studying afterwards to find another girl.’

‘See?’ Jamie said to Cerasus. ‘Bitter. Give him half a minute and he’ll have you believing that after he retires, he’s going to get some middle-aged widow to fall in love with him, and then I’ll be living in here with him _and_ my parents.’

‘I don’t know,’ Cerasus said. ‘It sounds like a good plan to me.’ 

‘Thank you, Cerasus.’ Dr Stewart stood up and came over to his chair too. ‘If I had needed any encouragement, you have given me it.’ He placed his hand on Cerasus’ shoulder. ‘And thank you for coming here to tell me all of this. Marie disappeared a long time ago, and I hadn’t quite realised it was still affecting me until Jamie mentioned it last week. But she was right in assuming I would like you, and from now on, I think I should start seeing you as a reminder of her good, if selectively weak, character, rather than the pain her disappearance brought me. I would be grateful if you would forgive me and start seeing this home as your own.’ 

He stood up straight, tugging at the lapels of his jacket. ‘I mean, it’s going to be Jamie’s someday, and I’m sure as far as he’s concerned, you’re welcome in any home of his, assuming you aren’t already sharing it –‘ He broke off with a laugh when he noticed the freezing look Jamie was giving him.

‘I, er –‘ Cerasus was beginning to understand Jamie’s embarrassment. ‘Of course – I mean, there’s nothing to forgive, really – um –‘

‘You’re braver than Marie was, to march up here so smoothly with the intent of explaining yourself,’ Dr Stewart said. ‘And now I’ll stop mortifying the both of you. Why don’t you two go out and enjoy the sun? Bring a picnic basket.’ So saying, he picked up his book and left the room with a friendly wave.

Cerasus slumped into his chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Are you all like this?’ he said.

‘Like what?’ Jamie said, perching himself on the arm and leaning back to rest his head.

‘Terrifying when angry. My mother was rarely actually angry at me or my father, but when she was, even _he_ would try hiding from her.’

‘I’m flattered you think a spineless kitten like me “terrifying when angry”.’

‘Oh, shut up.’

‘That’s what I’ve been trying to make you do for the past half hour.’

Ignoring this, Cerasus sat up and started smoothing out his wings. It didn’t hurt to sit on them, but they did have to be straight to be flown with. ‘That picnic. Let’s go on it.’

‘Alright then.’ Jamie squinted at him a moment before saying, ‘What did you do to your wings when you came in here? I couldn’t see them at all for a while.’

‘A glamour spell. I wanted to be polite.’

‘Can you do it again?’

‘No, not now.’

‘Shame,’ Jamie said. ‘I wanted to bring you into town. There’s a nice picnic area there.’

‘Never mind the town,’ Cerasus said, clicking his tongue. ‘Do you think town is any place for a fairy to have a picnic?’

‘I like the town,’ Jamie said defensively.

‘Let’s go into the woods behind the town. There’s a hill with a nice view there, and I’ve never seen anyone else visit it.’

‘Very well then, Your Highness,’ Jamie said as he got to his feet. ‘I’ll get Mary Smith to make something and you can meet me here in an hour.’

‘Can’t I wait for you?’

‘No, I’m going to change. You don’t think I’m going to go on a picnic while still in my pyjamas, do you?’

Cerasus was surprised. He hadn’t realise that a black T-shirt on blue trousers, however casual, constituted Jamie’s idea of pyjamas, especially since they set off his dark hair and deep blue eyes so well.

‘Okay. In an hour.’

-

After an hour, Cerasus flew directly to Jamie’s bedroom door. He had changed too, deciding that his customary suits were not fitted to a picnic, and was now wearing jeans and a dress shirt. But a button-down dress shirt, and it was a dark blue that contrasted the red of his wings.

Jamie emerged a few moments later while Cerasus was still wondering if his hair was alright, and he gave a violent start at coming nose-to-nose with him. And then he scowled.

‘On Earth, doors are for knocking at, and windows are to be looked through. Not the other way around,’ he said.

‘In the Fae Realm, we don’t bother with such details,’ Cerasus said confidently.

‘You wouldn’t,’ Jamie snorted. Then he relaxed and he smiled, if somewhat reluctantly. Perhaps even ... shyly? ‘You look nice.’

Cerasus started. ‘You mean I don’t look nice in a suit?’ he said.

‘Never mind,’ Jamie sighed. He shut the door and started down the corridor, Cerasus falling into step beside him, grinning.

‘Thank you, Jamie. You look nice too.’

‘Shut your face.’

It was true, though. He had on a white polo shirt, and the effect of a collar on his neck Cerasus considered to be striking. But he couldn’t say anything just yet.

They stopped to pick up their bag of food from the kitchen before Jamie asked Cerasus how they were going to get to their destination. Cerasus answered by hooking a finger underneath the strings looped around Jamie’s wrist and tugging him through magic space.

‘I hate it when you do that,’ Jamie said when they had arrived on the very top of their hill. He put down the bag, spread out their picnic blanket, and lay down on it with his eyes closed. 

‘You should be used to it by now,’ Cerasus said, sitting down next to him and stretching out his legs.

‘Well, I’ve come prepared.’ Jamie rubbed his forehead for a moment more before he sat up and crawled over to their bag. He picked out a flask and returned to Cerasus’ side with it.

‘What’s that?’ Cerasus said suspiciously.

‘It’s tea,’ Jamie said, pouring out a cup.

‘I knew I should have brought my own bag,’ Cerasus groaned.

‘Relax, it’s sweet. Honestly.’ Jamie took a reviving sip and then handed the cup to Cerasus. ‘I can’t believe your mother didn’t like tea either. There must have been something wrong with her.’

‘I think it just goes to show what a right-thinking sort of person she was for a human,’ Cerasus said primly.

‘You know I could throw the rest of this into your face?’ Jamie said, gesturing with the flask.

Cerasus’ only answer was a smile. ‘Jamie,’ he said.

‘Still here.’

‘You once said you thought of me as an entitled brat.’

‘You say that like you’re so sure I don’t think that anymore.’

‘Do you?’

‘Oh, well.’ Jamie smiled. ‘You’re not so bad.’

‘I used to think you were a meek little thing who would let anyone run you over because you were too scared to do anything about it.’

‘I take it back.’ 

‘ _However_ ,’ Cerasus said, giving him a stern look to quieten him. ‘In light of recent events, I’ve realised that you really just think differently from me. If you don’t bother speaking up, it’s because you know it’s not worth it; and you don’t let people walk all over you, you just hold the door open for them because you don’t mind, or they’re people you care about.’

‘I wouldn’t put it like _that_ ,’ Jamie said, beginning to feel embarrassed again.

‘That’s how I see it,’ Cerasus said warmly, and tried the tea. It surprised him so much, he choked on it a little and coughed. 

‘There’s cherry in this!’ he exclaimed when he could.

‘Yes.’ Jamie had recovered from his bout of awkwardness and was looking, if not smug, then pretty satisfied. ‘I hope you like cherries.’

‘Idiot.’ Cerasus grinned. ‘I love it.’

‘I’m glad.’

‘It’s very much ... my cup of tea.’

‘Well good.’

‘It’s to my taste, I mean.’

‘That’s what I thought you meant.’

‘You know what else is to my taste?’

‘Belgian buns, Danish pastries, and probably maple-and-pecan plaits too,’ Jamie tried.

‘I meant you,’ Cerasus said flatly, rather feeling that the moment had gone off.

‘Honestly, Cerasus.’ Jamie took the cup from Cerasus’ hands and replaced it on the flask. Getting up to retrieve sandwiches, he said, ‘I’m not angry at you anymore. Really.’

‘I’m not buttering you up,’ Cerasus said, rolling his eyes. 

‘Speaking of butter, there’s marmalade for you and tuna for me,’ Jamie said, paying him no mind and proceeding to divide the sandwiches so.

‘Remember,’ Cerasus ploughed on persistently, ‘when I was mentioning how superior my father would be if he found out I hadn’t got on with Seraphine?’

His mouth full of sandwich, Jamie merely waved to indicate that Cerasus should continue.

‘I’ve just thought of something that will help me to escape the discomfiting prospect of confessing to my father that my romantic pursuit of a human was unsuccessful.’ Cerasus paused for dramatic effect. Unfortunately, Jamie was busy shaking a frog off his shoe to notice, and Cerasus went on, ‘I’m going to tell him that the whole girl thing was an excuse for the fact that I’ve actually been mad about _you_ this whole time.’

The frog pushed off in time for Jamie to silently delicately wipe the crumbs off his fingers with a napkin before turning back to Cerasus to make his reply. ‘Cerasus, pardon me for saying this so soon after we’ve made up, but fuck off.’

‘You don’t like the idea?’

‘It’s a stupid idea.’

‘Oh well.’ Cerasus was starting to consider using magic to make himself keep a straight face. It was that close. ‘Can I tell him you’re my boyfriend now anyway?’

‘What for?’ Despite the sunny day, Jamie was acting properly cold by now, and Cerasus realised he would have to speed it up a bit.

‘Don’t you think a father has the right to know when his only son starts dating someone?’

For a while, Jamie gave no answer to this question. He merely followed the path of a passing grasshopper with his eyes until it had buried itself deep in the grass. Then he turned the full force of an intense stare at his companion.

‘Are you asking me out?’ he said seriously.

‘I, uh –‘ The past fifteen seconds or so had found Cerasus anxiously reconsidering this whole roundabout method of asking the very light of his life to officially become the solar body around which his existence revolved, and he squirmed properly underneath Jamie’s stare. ‘I mean, yes – er, yes, I am.’

‘It was a horrible attempt. Try again.’

‘Oh.’ Cerasus blinked. ‘Will you say yes?’

‘You never know until you try.’

‘Right. Well.’ Cerasus looked down at his lap, opened his mouth, realised this was not quite the spirit, and looked back up. Jamie was watching him quite coolly.

‘Er, Jamie,’ he tried.

‘Strong start,’ Jamie nodded.

‘I think you’re a fantastic bloke and an all-around fascinating chap, so please can I kiss you now and in the future be allowed to kiss you whenever I want?’ Cerasus let out in a rush.

Jamie leaned back on his hands and directed his eyes to the sky, observing the clouds up high with a thoughtful expression. Cerasus watched those cobalt blue eyes and pale lips breathlessly. After what felt like an eternity, Jamie dropped his gaze back to Cerasus and said, ‘Alright then.’

‘Oh!’ Cerasus got up to hug him, quite forgetting that Jamie had dropped marmalade sandwiches onto his lap only a couple of minutes ago, thus letting them fall off and accidentally squashing them with his knee. He ignored his suddenly jam-covered trousers, however, and proceeded to passionately throw his arms around Jamie and give him a tender look.

‘Don’t worry, the sandwiches aren’t the only thing on the menu,’ Jamie said most unfeelingly, but Cerasus had since learned that this was just his way.

‘Shut up for half a minute,’ Cerasus said, and pressed their lips together.

Indeed, despite his unemotional speech, Jamie turned out well receptive to a kiss. He slid an arm around Cerasus’ waist, avoiding collision with his wings as easily as if he was an expert at kissing fairies, running the other hand through Cerasus’ hair as affectionately as if he had wanted to do so from their first meeting.

‘Not that you’re going to convince me you’ve been secretly pining for me this whole time,’ Jamie said when they broke apart.

‘I wonder if _you_ might have been yearning for _me_ the whole time we’ve been acquainted?’ Cerasus asked with a teasing bat of the eyelashes.

‘Sorry, but no. I couldn’t stop seeing you as an overgrown five-year-old until the time you told me you don’t actually mean to be an egocentric prick all the time.’

‘I hope you’ll always be there to help me stop acting like an egocentric prick,’ Cerasus said sincerely.

‘I probably will, if only to spare other people the pain of having to deal with you,’ Jamie said. Then he smiled, and gave Cerasus another brief kiss. Cerasus wished he could act as detached as Jamie often did, for the simple act had made him feel a little like swooning. ‘No, I’m just kidding. You’re not bad in yourself, Cerasus.’

It was sparse as far as compliments went, but Cerasus felt he could make Jamie come round. In time, he could make Jamie admit that he, Cerasus, was the lodestar of his life, and he, Cerasus, would in turn admit that he, Jamie would be his first pick for a British sun god.

‘Same to you, Jamie.’

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, my Chocolate Box recipient, for giving me the opportunity to play with your prompt! I had much more fun writing this than I probably should have, and I did very much want to expand more on it than I have here. Unfortunately, time was not permissive, but I hope you did enjoy what I've been able to put down. 
> 
> Many thanks to [my currently anonymous beta - she knows who she is] for all her help. This was my first piece of original fiction and I wouldn't have been able to make it without her advice and expertise.


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